OUR SURVEY SPONSORS
Hover over each sponsor to learn more.
ResourceMFG, a specialty division of EmployBridge, is the nation’s largest staffing company focused exclusively on the manufacturing industry, providing talent in production, welding, machine operations, assembly, quality, maintenance, supervision and all levels of management.
ProLogistix, a specialty division of EmployBridge, is the nation’s leading logistics workforce specialist, providing all levels of logistics personnel from entry-level, skilled and managerial talent for the warehouse to senior executives of the supply chain.
Largest provider of CDL drivers in North America, dispatching drivers on a daily basis to private fleets, third-party logistics providers, and motor carriers.
One of our specialty franchise divisions, Remedy is focused on quality staffing solutions for administrative, clerical and light industrial workforce needs.
One of our specialty franchise divisions, Westaff is an experienced provider of talent from administrative, accounting, and call center professionals to light industrial and technical personnel.
As workforce specialists, EmployBridge provides value-added workforce solutions and job opportunities. Combining the advantages of national scale, in-depth local market knowledge, supply-chain-specific expertise, and powerful recruiting and retention tools, EmployBridge is recognized by Staffing Industry Analysts as America’s largest industrial staffing firm. EmployBridge is also helping close the skills gap in America’s supply chain by providing free, career-focused skills development to its temporary associates through the firm’s Better WorkLife Academy.
The 2021 Voice of the Blue-Collar Worker is the nation’s largest annual survey of America’s hourly, blue-collar workforce.
The goal is to shed light on the unique factors that attract, motivate and retain the blue-collar workforce.
Today's job market is different than anything we've recently experienced, as employers and workers struggle to meet the demands of the new world of work amid a global pandemic.
Over 15,000 blue-collar workers told us what it takes for employers to recruit and retain them. By implementing practices that address the needs and wants of hourly workers, we can help our clients recruit high-quality talent, increase employee retention and reduce costly turnover, all while helping to keep the workforce safe in an uneasy time.
View 2019 results
THE BLUE-COLLAR LABOR MARKET
BY THE NUMBERS
Gone are the days of the 1940s when defining white-collar workers as using their heads and blue-collar workers as using their hands made sense.
Recent labor data indicates the balance of power has shifted from supply chain employers to supply chain workers. Today, there are more open jobs than available workers, creating increased competition for low-wage earners who now have their choice of employers. This is a starkly different picture of how the labor market worked a mere decade ago.
Blue-collar employees find themselves in the position of having options for the first time in a long time. This has empowered more than unemployed workers. Those in jobs have more incentive to leave for a better opportunity. What's more turnover costs employers a lot of money and reduces productivity.
2010
2019
523K
2,575K
OPEN
BLUE-COLLAR
JOBS
NUMBERS OF WORKERS AVAILABLE
2010
Includes:
Manufacturing & Transportation
Warehousing & Utilities
804K
738K
OPEN
BLUE-COLLAR
JOBS
NUMBERS OF WORKERS AVAILABLE
2019
WHY WORKERS LEAVE (AND STAY)
PAY
CULTURE
up to 5 hours per week
69%
5+ hours per week
31%
Time employees would invest in learning a new skill
3. SKILL-BUILDING
Today's blue-collar workers are also eager to learn new skills, which most see as the basis of a pay rise.
12%
46%
39%
3%
Hover over to explore
Reason for learning a new skill
1%
Fear current job will be eliminated
12%
Transition out of industry
46%
Earn more pay
39%
Get ready for a new job /promotion
35%
20%
Great way to grow my career/skills
Want to pursue but have not had the opportunity
Perception of apprenticeships
90%
Interested in apprenticeships
38%
Extremely Interested
95%
Time willing to invest
would invest personal time to learn a new skill
SKILL-BUILDING
2. CULTURE
While pay is the largest factor in taking a new job, it is work culture that most often keeps blue-collar workers at their job.
*Real survey responses
What does good company culture mean to you?*
Skill development and promotion opportunities
The people I worked with
I was appreciated
Flexibility with college schedule
Company made me feel valued
Flexible with family and personal issues
Good boss
Job security
Felt like I belonged
Treated like a person, not a number
CULTURE
CULTURE
Recognition
11th
Company reputation
9th
Flexible shift/assignment
8th
Good supervisor
7th
Advancement opportunities
6th
Training/learning new skills
Benefits
Job security
Pay
Main factors for accepting a job
PAY
The $4,659 it costs employers that lose one blue-collar worker can fund a $2.24 hourly pay raise instead. Only 17% reported leaving their last job to make more money. But for those who do leave a job because of money, $2.24 can be life-changing
Cost of losing 1 employee = $4,659*
$4,659 = $2.24 hourly pay raise
1. PAY
Employers could take the money it would cost to lose an employee and apply it towards a pay increase.
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WATCH OUR WEBINAR
Learn strategies for building your future workforce and solving the talent supply shortage.
Learn About Our Workforce Specialists
CONTACT US
Want Employbridge to help you find and retain talent?
For media inquiries or to schedule an interview, contact Ken Christensen, VP of Public Relations | 404.694.6409
1
The Blue-Collar Labor Market by the Numbers
2
Why Workers Leave (and Stay)
3
Watch Our Latest Webiinar
Welder
1%
Quality Control/
Inspection
3%
Order Selector
2%
Production Worker
12%
Maintenance Technician
1%
Machinist
(CNC or Manual)
1%
Loader/
Unloader
4%
Lead/
Supervisor
3%
Inventory Control
2%
General Warehouse
23%
Forklift
Operator
16%
Other
11%
General Manufacturing
4%
Experienced Machine Operator
6%
How much does turnover cost your business?
Use our free cost of turnover calculator to find out.
Calculate Your
Turnover Costs
Keep scrolling for more blue-collar workforce insights.
The Voice of the American Workforce is the nation’s largest survey of America’s hourly workers. Now in its 17th year, the survey continues to illuminate the unique factors that attract, motivate, and retain hourly employees. As threats to the supply chain persist, the importance of hourly work to our economic health and quality of life has been brought into sharp focus, and so have the challenges faced by working Americans each day. While the future is bright for American industries, it’s more important than ever that we listen to and support our hourly workers so we can move forward together.
THE NATION'S LARGEST SURVEY OF THE HOURLY WORKFORCE
Download Report
Voice of the
blue-Collar
worker
Paid time off
10th
Enjoy the work
4th
5th
3rd
2nd
1st
"The impact of our changes reduced our monthly turnover rate by almost
two-thirds."
"We implemented a pay rate increase to make us more competitive."
"At our facility in Pennsylvania, we fully embraced the Voice of the American Workforce survey..."
"Our supervisory team was coached to never send an employee home unless there was no work available in other departments."
"We leveled out our daily volumes and created more full-time shifts for temporary associates."
"We pushed back the start times of our first shift to accommodate people who had to drop their kids off at daycare."
See what a General Manager from a large, international 3PL had to say about the Voice of the American Workforce Survey:
Sign up for the voice of the American Workforce Webinar
About the 2021 voice of the blue-collar worker survey
Market Wage Report
Not surprisingly, blue-collar workers consistently list pay as their top reason for accepting a new job. A competitive wage is essential to building a strong workforce. To help you determine appropriate pay rates for your local market and industry, EmployBridge offers complimentary market wage reports.
Request Market Wage report
About the 2021 voice of the blue-collar worker survey
Request the full Voice of the Blue-Collar Worker Survey Results
Check out this year’s Voice of the Blue-Collar Worker Webinar.
In the next 2-3 years, I see myself...
11%
12%
15%
10%
Hover over to explore
Beyond Pay, Workers' Loyaly is Earned Through:
10%
Training/learning new skills
11%
Understood I have personal obligations outside of work
12%
Advancement Opportunities
15%
Cared about my individual growth as an employee
13%
13%
Good company culture (respected and valued)
23%
17%
32%
WORKING IN THE SAME OR SIMILAR ROLE
WORKING TOWARDS OR COMPLETED A CERTIFICATION/DEGREE
BEING A LEAD OR SUPERVISOR
CAREER ASPIRATIONS OF BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS
In addition to building loyalty and supporting production, upskilling your workers may help alleviate hiring challenges. Visit our website to learn more about how we support our workers’ efforts to develop new skills through our Better WorkLife Academy.
Not surprisingly, blue-collar workers consistently list pay as their top reason for accepting a new job. A competitive wage is essential to building a strong workforce. To help you determine appropriate pay rates for your local market and industry, EmployBridge offers complimentary market wage reports.
Learn more
Attendance
THE REAL COST OF PTO PLANS *
* Cost per employee is based on a $14/hour salary and calculated at 16% of FTE annual salary for frontline blue-collar workers based on a meta-anal-ysis of 30 case studies in 11 research papers published between 1992 and 2007 conducted by the Center for American Progress.2
Source: 2019 Voice of the Blue Collar Worker Survey
$2,704
Raise
$1.00/hr
Investment
$780
5
Days of PTO
Investment
79%
of employees would choose time off over a raise
Beyond Pay, Workers' Loyaly is Earned Through:
The demands of personal and family life are more pressing than ever for blue-collar workers. Revisiting your attendance policies may go a long way to helping you retain good employees.
Since 2001, Hire Dynamics has helped thousands of people achieve their career goals in manufacturing, logistics, contact center, and office support.
ABOUT THE 2023 VOICE OF THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE SURVEY
The goal is to shed light on the unique factors that attract, motivate, and retain the hourly workforce.
Today's job market is different than anything we've recently experienced, as employers and workers alike are adapting to the changing world of work.
More than 29,000 hourly workers told us what it takes for employers to recruit and retain them. By implementing practices that address the needs and wants of hourly workers, we can help our clients recruit high-quality talent, increase employee retention, and reduce costly turnover.
The 2023 Voice of the American Workforce is the nation’s largest annual survey of America’s hourly workforce.
Select, a specialty workforce division of EmployBridge, offers rapid deployment capabilities for high-volume users of staffing in need of light industrial and clerical skills.
Delivering specialized workforce solutions for customer service and contact centers, and recruiting services for administrative and clerical, finance and accounting, and IT professionals nationwide.
Bluecrew is a high-quality W-2 workforce-as-a-service designed to help businesses address the challenges of variable demand by combining an agile high-quality workforce, powerful management technology, and actionable data.